Happy End
by Lufia1
Summary: First in a trilogy of stories about the Three Lights. Taiki rescues Ami from a rainy day.


Happy End   
By: Lufia   
  
Note: Sailor Moon doesn't belong to me, but you knew that already.   
  
  
The sky over Tokyo grew dark as the stormclouds rolled in from off the coast of Japan. The wind picked up, sending the fallen leaves swirling about on the paved walking paths in Azabu park. A drop of water fell from the sky, and then another, landing on the ground with a light plopping noise. Within seconds, the sky burst open, sending a torrent of rain down upon the city. The young woman sitting alone on the bench by the lake looked up in surprise as the raindrops landed on her head and lap, and cried out. She quickly shut the paperback she had been reading and tucked it under her light blue cardigan, and began to run for the park entrance. The rain fell harder now, plastering her blueblack hair to her forehead. She brushed her bangs from her eyes hurriedly, so she could see where she was going, and continued to run. Her foot hit a slick patch in the pavement and she fell, landing in the middle of a large puddle. The water soaked through her skirts, and she shivered. She rose shakily to her feet, hoping she wasn't too badly bruised, and walked out of the park. Her legs and backside ached too much to attempt to run. She stooped over in an attempt to keep her paperback dry. A large van rumbled down the road, very close to the sidewalk. Water from the curb sprayed up and out from under the van's tires, splashing the young woman. She cried out and looked angrily after the van, which had pulled up to the curb several feet ahead of her. She withdrew her book from under her cardigan and sighed. It had been soaked through, just like she had. Ahead of her, the drivers' side door to the van opened, and a tall man stepped out into the rain. His long brown hair was pulled back away from his face and into a ponytail, which reached almost down to the backs of his knees. He opened an umbrella and walked toward the young woman, an apologetic smile on his face. She looked up at him, her eyes full of tears. When she saw who it was, she smiled slightly.   
  
"Taiki-san," she whispered. She tossed her book aside and ran to the tall man, flinging her arms around him and burying her head in his jacket, sobbing. The man was taken by surprise, and he dropped his umbrella. He put his arms around her instinctively and held her tightly, rocking her from side to side ever so slightly. The rain was momentarily forgotten.   
  
"Ami-san," he said, a note of concern in his voice, "what's wrong?"   
  
Ami didn't reply, except to sob harder. She squeezed him more tightly, standing on tiptoe to snake her arms around his neck. Taiki looked down at the sopping wet girl and nodded to himself. He reached an arm under Ami's legs and scooped her into his arms. She squealed and looked at him, her dark blue eyes wide. He smiled reassuringly at her and walked around to the other side of his van. He reached out for the latch of the large door with his right hand, balancing Ami's back in the crook of his arm, and yanked the door open. He lay Ami on the middle seat of the van, then climbed in next to her, crouching on the floor of the van and shutting the door behind him.   
  
Ami sat up, drawing one leg underneath her, and letting the other one dangle down off the seat. She wiped furiously at her eyes, trying to make the tears go away. She hiccuped once, and covered her mouth immediately with one hand. "T-Taiki-san," she stammered.   
  
"Ami-san," Taiki said, his violet eyes meeting hers, "daijobu?"   
  
Ami shook her head, sending droplets of water all over the van. She could already feel the seat underneath her growing damp from her skirts. She lowered her gaze, fighting back a new wave of tears. She bent over, wrapping her arms around herself. She felt Taiki's strong arms slide around her shoulders and draw her close to him. She pulled back hesitantly turned away.   
  
"Can you talk about it, Ami-san?" Taiki asked, not removing his arms from around her, but not trying to force her back into a more intimate embrace. Ami only sobbed harder. "Right then," Taiki said, letting go of her and climbing up front into the drivers' seat. He closed the drivers' side door and reached up to buckle his seat belt. He started the van, deciding to forget about his fallen umbrella on the sidewalk, and turned back to look at Ami. "Let's get you somewhere more comfortable."   
  
"H-h-hai," Ami hiccuped. She pulled herself together enough to fumble for the seatbelt and fasten it across her waist as Taiki pulled away from the curb and back into traffic. She turned and looked out the window, her arms resting on the drink holder beside her.   
Taiki glanced at her in the rearview mirror. Ami was soaked through. Her clothes were sticking to her all over, and he was sure the skirts were weighing her down by the way she was sitting. Her skin had gone several shades paler than its usual color, and red circles were forming around her eyes from crying. Her whole body trembled slightly, and she wrapped her arms around herself unconsciously. Taiki reached down and turned on the heat in the van, not caring that he was wearing a jacket and long sleeves. He drove through the rain for several minutes, and pulled into a parking garage next to a high-reaching apartment complex. He turned off the engine and stepped out of the car, reaching back to open the large door. Ami had unbuckled her seatbelt and was crawling across the seat toward the door. He wrapped his arms around her and helped her out of the van, then slammed the door closed behind her. Ami shivered when she got into the open air. Taiki removed his jacket and draped it across her shoulders, trying to warm her up. She smiled up at him and clutched it to her tightly.   
  
"Where are we?" Ami asked as Taiki put an arm around her shoulder and led her toward an elevator at the far end of the garage level.   
  
Taiki smiled down at her warmly. "My apartment. I don't know where you live, and this was the closest place I could think of to get you cleaned up and dry."   
  
Ami's eyes widened slightly, but she nodded. "Arigato," she said quietly.   
  
Taiki nodded and led her into the elevator. He pushed the button for the top floor, then stood quietly beside her, his arm wrapped protectively around her shoulder. He glanced down at her out of the corner of his eye. She was trembling again, probably from the cold blast of air from the vent in the ceiling. He wished there were a way to close the vent. The elevator ground to a stop and the door slid open. Taiki pulled her out into the hallway and directed her down to the last door on the left. He fished around in his pocket, withdrawing a single brass key, and jiggled it in the lock on the door until it clicked. "Hello?" he called as the door swung open. "Anybody home? Seiya? Yaten?"   
  
Ami looked around in shock at the size of the apartment. It was enormous. She could see a hallway off to the right, partially hidden by a doorway. The main sitting room and the kitchen were out in front, and a dining room could be glimpsed through an archway behind the kitchen. She looked up at Taiki. "This is all yours, Taiki-san?"   
  
Taiki looked down at her. "Hai, mine and my brothers'."   
  
Ami blushed and looked down at the fine cream-colored carpet. "Gomen ne, I shouldn't be asking questions like that."   
  
Taiki smiled at her and shook his head slightly. "It's okay."   
  
"I'm dripping all over your carpet," Ami said quietly.   
  
"Hang on a second, and I'll fix that. Seiya! Yaten! Are you home?" Taiki walked further into the apartment, looking for any sign of his brothers. A lone sheet of notebook paper on the counter attracted his attention. He crossed briskly to the kitchen and snatched it up. "Taiki, went to the indoor gym, see you later, Seiya," Taiki read aloud. "That's one. Yaten!"   
  
"Um," Ami said from just inside the door. Taiki turned to her. "There's another piece of paper on the coffee table here," she said, sniffling.   
  
Taiki walked back into the living room and retrieved this new note. "Taiki and Seiya, went out clubbing, be back late, maybe. Yaten." Taiki smiled and shook his head. He turned to Ami. "Looks like we have the place to ourselves," he said. "That'll make it easier for you, I think. You don't have to worry about two other guys walking in on you in the bathroom."   
  
"Bathroom?" Ami echoed.   
  
Taiki nodded, leading her down the partially hidden hallway. "You go on in here and get yourself a nice bath or shower, whichever you prefer. Pass your wet clothes through the door, and I'll stick them in the wash while you get cleaned up."   
  
"But what about when I'm done in here?" Ami asked, looking a little nervous.   
  
Taiki left her side for a moment, and disappeared into a room down the hall. He returned a few minutes later with a pair of silk boxer shorts and a white terrycloth robe. He handed them to Ami. "These are Yaten's, and they're brand new. Never been worn. The size should be small enough."   
  
Ami took the garments gratefully and slipped inside the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. The door opened a minute later, and a bare arm held out a bundle of clothing. Taiki took it from her. "There should be fresh towels underneath the sink," he called inside. "Just come out into the living room when you're done. I'll make us something to eat. Any preferences?"   
  
"Something hot," Ami said through the door. Taiki could hear the slight creak as the taps to the bath were turned on. He smiled to himself and took the dripping bundle of clothing down the hall, depositing it in the washing machine. He poured half a cup of detergent in with the bundle, and set the washer on delicate. He walked back out into the kitchen and began rooting around in the freezer for something to heat up.   
  
"I wonder what could've gotten Ami-san so upset," he mumbled, pushing aside the frozen hamburgers Seiya had picked up at the butcher's earlier in the week. His eyes lit up as he spied two frozen gourmet dinners hidden in the back of the freezer. "Arigato, Yaten," he said, grinning. "Filet mignon in fifteen minutes. This will be good." He took the packages out and preheated the oven. He found some frozen vegetables in sauce on the second shelf in the freezer, and withdrew those as well. "This should cheer Ami-san up," he said, popping the box in the microwave. He began to hum to himself as he "cooked."   
  
Ami shut the door again after handing the clothing to Taiki and leant against it for a moment. She heard Taiki say something about towels, and then ask her about dinner. "Something hot," she called, not really feeling like food at the moment. She sighed, then crossed over to the tub and turned on the hot water tap. The sound of the water rushing into the basin made Ami smile slightly. She glanced down at the wand in her other hand, then set it up on the vanity, so it wouldn't get wet. She put her hand under the faucet feeling the water temperature and adjusting it to a comfortable level of warmth. She went over to the sink and knelt down, opening the cabinet. As Taiki had said, there were several large, fluffy towels piled under the sink. She took out the topmost one, a large navy blue towel, and lay it down next to the tub. She stopped the taps and carefully slid into the bath, sighing as the warmth penetrated her skin. She lay still for several minutes, her eyes closed, letting the warm water drain the tension from her body. Once she felt sufficiently relaxed, Ami opened her eyes and looked around for a bar of soap. She retrieved it from the soapdish and began to carefully scrub every inch of her body. Then, she dunked her head under water, wetting her hair, and pulled a bottle of shampoo from the wire basket hanging off the tap.   
  
"Pantene?" Ami giggled. "I didn't know they were so conscientious of their brands." She poured some of the shampoo into her hand, and worked it into a lather before massaging it into her scalp. She turned on the shower above her, letting it wash over her like rain. She worked her fingers deep into her thick hair, making sure all the shampoo got out. When she finished, she pulled the plug on the bath, letting the sitting water drain out, and stood under the pulsating shower for several minutes, making sure the soap film washed off of her. She was feeling much better, much more relaxed after her bath. She took the large bath towel and dried herself off, then looked over at the boxers and robe Taiki had left for her. She picked up the boxers warily. They did look to be a perfect fit for her.   
  
"There's no way Yaten-san's waist is this small," she said to herself. She fingered the fabric absently, smiling at the smoothness of the material. "Oh well." She slid the white silk garment on, pleasantly surprised at the feel of silk on her legs. She was even more surprised that the boxers fit her so nicely. They weren't too loose, nor were they too tight. She raised an eyebrow curiously, but decided to accept the fact for the time being. She shrugged into the white robe, hugging herself, delighted with its warmth. This was much better than being soaking wet in the rain. Ami knelt down again, and withdrew a smaller white towel from the pile, wrapping it around her head so she wouldn't drip on Taiki's furniture. She looked at herself in the mirror over the sink and smiled at her reflection.   
  
"Dinner's ready, Ami-san!" Taiki called, causing Ami to jump. She quickly readjusted the robe, making sure she wasn't revealing anything obscene, and opened the door to the bathroom.   
  
"Taiki?" Ami asked. The hallway was dark before her, and she was confused on which way led back to the living room.   
  
"Go left," Taiki called.   
  
Ami nodded and padded out toward the living room, enjoying the feel of her bare feet on the rich carpet. She pushed open the door that led into the living room and gasped. The lights had been turned off, and candles had been lit and placed around the room in various locations. A three-pronged candelabrum sat in the middle of the living room table, and two place settings were laid out on either side of it. What looked like a gourmet meal was arranged very prettily on each plate and something sparkling filled two wineglasses.   
  
"Do you like it?" Taiki asked, walking out of the kitchen. He had changed his clothing at some point, and was wearing a loose white button down shirt and a pair of khakis. He too was barefoot.   
  
"H-hai," Ami gasped, her eyes wide. She blushed as Taiki walked toward her, his arm extended. She tentatively placed her hand in his, and he led her to the table, sitting her down on the couch. He had pulled a bean bag chair from somewhere and sat down on it, across from her.   
  
"Are you feeling better, Ami-san?" Taiki asked.   
  
Ami nodded dumbly. "How…how did you do all this?"   
  
Taiki smiled and tapped the side of his nose. "That's my secret. I wanted to make you feel better, and I thought a nice dinner might go a ways toward that."   
  
"Arigato," Ami blushed. She looked down at her lap. "I feel slightly under-dressed for the meal, though."   
  
Taiki chuckled. "You're fine. You look beautiful."   
  
Ami looked up at him, her cheeks red. Taiki glanced away, feeling color rising to his own cheeks. "Um, I mean, um…" he stammered. He quickly raised his wineglass. "A toast to feeling better," he said.   
  
Ami smiled and raised her glass as well. "To feeling better," she echoed. Their glasses clinked, and they each swallowed a sip. Ami raised an eyebrow as she drank. "Taiki-san, what is this exactly?"   
  
"White zinfandel."   
  
Ami smiled and nodded, deciding not to comment on the illegality of the drink for them both.   
  
"Did the bath help?" Taiki asked.   
  
"Hai," Ami said, taking a bite of her filet mignon. "It was very relaxing. I feel much better. Arigato."   
  
"Do you feel well enough to talk about it?"   
  
Ami looked at him curiously.   
  
"I mean about what made you so upset earlier," Taiki continued.   
  
Ami sighed and speared a carrot on her fork. "This has just been a very bad day all around. To start out, I was late for class this morning, because the city bus broke down. Then, I forgot to pack my lunch, so I had to beg pieces out of Mako-chan's and Usagi-chan's lunches. During science today, I got mixed up on my chemical equations, and nearly blew up the classroom. I'd misread the chemical compounds on the board, and mixed together two volatile chemicals instead of two benign ones. I went to Hikawa Jinja after school, but realized on my way home that I'd left my schoolbag there, but Rei-chan said I could get it in the morning, since I didn't have any homework. Cram school let out early because they found asbestos in the ceilings, and I didn't have enough bus fare to get home. I had only one paperback with me in my sweater pocket, so I decided to sit in the park and read for a little while, to try and calm down, but it began to rain. I fell in a puddle on my way out of the park, and then you splashed me accidentally, and my book got ruined. That's when I finally lost it."   
  
"Oh, Ami-san," Taiki said, looking at her sympathetically across the table. He reached his hand out and grasped hers, squeezing it comfortingly.   
  
Ami sniffled and returned the pressure. "Arigato," she said softly, flushing again. She looked across the table at him, locking eyes. She stared into his violet eyes intently, more intently than she had before. Her gaze softened, but it did not lessen. Taiki returned her gaze equally. He smiled at her and rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand.   
  
"Ami-san," Taiki asked, swallowing hard.   
  
"Hai?" Ami continued staring at him, her breath beginning to come in shorter, more ragged gasps.   
  
"Would you care to dance?"   
  
"Dance?"   
  
"Hai."   
  
"Hai."   
  
Taiki stood up from his beanbag, not letting go of Ami's hand and not unlocking his gaze from hers, and came around her side of the table. He took her other hand and helped her to her feet, leading her out into the middle of the living room floor. She looked up at him the entire time. He took one of her hands and brought it up to his shoulders, and held the other one far out. He began to dance a slow waltz, one that Ami had no trouble falling into step for. Ami smiled warmly at him as they danced. Taiki smiled in return, then spun her out to the end of his reach. She giggled, causing Taiki to smile more broadly as he spun her back close to him. Ami clutched his shirtsleeve tightly when she spun back, and rested her head against his chest, rubbing against him slightly. Taiki embraced her tightly, and continued the waltz, modifying it slightly. He lifted one of his hands up the back of her neck, removing the towel from her head so he could run his fingers through her hair. He let the towel drop to the floor and twirled Ami around again. When he spun her back in, her foot hit the towel, and she stumbled into him, knocking the both of them off balance. Taiki clutched her tightly as he fell, instinctively trying to protect her from the fall. Ami cried out as they hit the floor side by side, and clung to him tightly.   
  
"Daijobu, Taiki-san? Gomen, gomen ne, I'm becoming as uncoordinated as Usagi-chan." Ami blushed and stammered out her apology.   
  
"Ami-san," Taiki whispered, causing her to halt in her string of apologies.   
  
"Hai?"   
  
"I'm fine," Taiki breathed, pulling her close. He bent his head forward, his lips capturing hers in a lingering kiss. Ami gasped as he kissed her, and stared wildly at him when he pulled away. He smiled at her, his eyes smiling as well. "Is something wrong?" he asked.   
  
Ami blushed hotter than she ever imagined she could. She rose shakily and turned away from him, holding herself tightly. "No…nothing's wrong," she said, her voice sounding tight.   
  
Taiki rose and walked up behind her, his hand hovering above her shoulder. "Don't lie to me, Ami-san, please. I can tell something's wrong. Did I do something to offend you?"   
  
Ami shook her head furiously, sending water droplets flying from the damp ends of her tangled hair. She hugged herself more tightly.   
  
"Ami-san, look at me, please," Taiki said, taking her chin in his hand and turning her face toward him. "If I've done something wrong, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so forward with you. Gomen nasai."   
  
Ami turned to look at him, her deep blue eyes filled with unshed tears. "It's not that, Taiki-san," she said quietly. She closed her eyes and lifted her hand to clasp his, rubbing the back of his hand against her cheek. "It's just that…no one has ever been this…kind to me."   
  
Taiki raised an eyebrow. "Kind?"   
  
Ami lowered her gaze. "Hai, kind. No one has ever rescued me from a bad day, or made me a special meal, or danced with me, or…" Ami trailed off, wiping the tears from her eyes with her free hand. "It's just very new to me, and I'm a little frightened. Gomen, I'm probably being very silly."   
  
Taiki stepped closer to her, wrapping his other arm around her and pressing her close. He walked them both back toward the couch and sat down, pulling Ami down beside him. "No, Ami-san, you're not being silly. I'm a little frightened too, I'll admit."   
  
"You?" Ami blinked.   
  
"Hai, me." Taiki nodded, turning on the couch so he sat facing her. "I'm frightened that you don't feel the same way about me that I do about you, and that you'll dismiss me somehow as being foolish for thinking that you would ever have feelings for me. I care about you deeply, Ami-san, and I have for a long time. I was selfish tonight, and took advantage of your fragile state this afternoon to try and express my feelings for you. Gomen ne."   
  
Ami laughed, tears trickling down her cheeks, and she smiled. "You're not foolish, Taiki-san. I…I care for you too. And you helped me more than you realize." Ami leant forward to embrace him, but stopped when she noticed the embarrassed look in Taiki's eyes. "Taiki-san?"   
  
"Um, Ami-san, I don't mean to stare, but…" Taiki stammered, waving his hand in the direction of her robe.   
  
Ami looked down and blushed. The top of her robe had come loose, revealing a good deal of skin when she bent forward. She hurriedly tucked the robe back into place, then looked up at Taiki. She gasped as he kissed her, catching her by surprise. She smiled slightly and returned the kiss with equal pressure, wrapping her arms around his neck, drawing him closer to her. She felt his arms around her waist, and he pulled her into his lap.   
  
"Maybe this isn't the kind of thing we should be doing in the middle of your living room," she whispered, running her fingers through his hair and loosening his ponytail a bit.   
  
"Mmmm," Taiki replied, his fingers tracing patterns along her back. "Where would you like to continue this?"   
  
"It's your house," Ami whispered, kissing his neck. "You know it better than I."   
  
"Then I know just the place." Taiki scooped her up, eliciting a squeal of delight from Ami, and carried her off down the hall toward his room, pausing to write, "do not disturb" on the message board by the hall door.


End file.
